Public History in the Wild Guidelines

Over the course of the semester, you will be required to create four blog posts for our “Public History in the Wild” blog that documents the public history artifacts / exhibitions / interpretations / methods that you encounter in your daily life. You will use our WordPress blogging platform to upload a photograph of your “wild” public history moment and include a brief description of its significance. (You may complete an optional fifth assignment for extra credit.)
Assignment developed by Rebecca S. Wingo

Link to class blog login

Goals

  • Practice writing for a public audience
  • Practice writing concisely in preparation of your exhibit and label text
  • Learn to read your environment like a public historian
  • Familiarize yourself with local history

    Grading
    Each Public History in the Wild Assignment is worth 20 points. You must complete four of these assignments this semester. They will be graded with the following criteria.
    • Under 100 words: 5pts
    • Accessible content: 5pts
    • Clear photograph(s) w/ alt text: 5pts
    • Properly categorized & tagged: 5pts
    • Assignment Directions
    1. Sign into WordPress and familiarize yourself with the Dashboard.
    2. Take a photograph of your “Public History in the Wild” subject. Make sure that you somehow include proof that you were there (i.e. do not download a photograph from the internet). Options for proof include, but aren’t limited to, selfies, admission tickets, day/time stamps, etc. Get creative and have fun!
    3. Write your blog post. Blog posts should be less than 100 words and written for a public audience. The first 50 words should contextualize the “wild” public history, and the second 50 words should give your own interpretation / response. If you look up additional information about your historical artifact, you must cite your source with parenthetical citations and hyperlinks where appropriate.
    4. Post the photo on the blog. Be sure to give yourself credit for the photograph and include “alt text” for the image so that our blog meets accessibility requirements.
    5. Categorize your post. Your posts must include the category “Spring 2019” and "PH in the Wild." You must also choose from the other relevant available categories. For instance, a photograph of an exhibition you visited about modern-day slavery at the Underground Railroad Freedom Center may also be categorized as “museum” and “exhibit.”
    6. Tag your post. Your posts must also include a series of tags. These are more specific than categories. For instance, the tags for the previous example might include: Underground Railroad Freedom Center, slavery, and sex trafficking.
    7. Publish your post.